Are Domestic Cars Affected by the Chip Shortage?
2 Answers
Domestic cars are also affected by the chip shortage. Here are the reasons for the shortage of automotive chips: Impact of the pandemic: In recent years, the global chip industry has been relatively conservative in capacity investment, and the imbalance between supply and demand had already begun to show before the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has further exacerbated the cautious approach to capacity investment. Impact of 5G: Driven by the development of 5G technology, the demand for chips in the consumer electronics sector has increased rapidly this year, posing challenges to chip production capacity and diverting some of the automotive chip supply. This trend may further intensify in 2021, while many chip manufacturers are cutting necessary capital expenditures for the automotive industry, raising prices, and reducing production quotas for automotive chips.
As a veteran auto repair technician, I've witnessed firsthand how domestic car brands have been severely impacted by the chip shortage over the past two years. Many customers come in with electrical system failures - like vehicles that won't start due to ECU module shortages, forcing them to wait days for replacement parts. This global chip crisis has hit everyone, and while Chinese automakers are trying to use domestic alternatives, the quality and stability just aren't keeping up, driving repair costs skyward. I once encountered a domestic SUV with a faulty smart control board that took nearly a month to get replacement chips. My advice? During routine maintenance, pay extra attention to electronic control systems - don't wait until major problems arise. This chip shortage has exposed vulnerabilities in domestic automakers' supply chains, and ultimately, only technological advancement can truly mitigate these risks.
